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A review by rowingrabbit
Secrets of the Dead by Carol Wyer
3.0
DI Robyn Carter has lot on her plate. There’s been a recent spate of murders & the victims couldn’t be more different. But Robyn & her crew have no doubt they’re all connected. Each is found with an invoice for £250,000 marked “Paid in full”. The only other thing they have in common is some tie to Bromley Hall, a ritzy Victorian hotel & spa in the Staffordshire countryside.
As they pick away at the investigation, we meet the anonymous killer in alternate chapters & slowly learn his motive & history.
This is one of those books where personal preference will loom large in terms of how much you enjoy it. I’d place it firmly on my “ok” shelf & I’ll try to explain why. The author clearly has some serious skills & the story flows well. But in this crowded & competitive genre, there has to be something that makes a book stand out, something that reaches out & grabs you so you become invested in the story & its characters & I just couldn’t find it here.
First up is Robyn, a hard working cop who has little else in her life. It’s difficult to describe why but she just didn’t come across as a fully fleshed out character. The way she is depicted lacked the depth that would have helped me connect with her. Perhaps I found her a little too earnest or maybe it’s that we’re repeatedly told about her background instead of letting the reader get to know her through her thoughts & actions. She & her colleagues have all the requisite personal problems but their responses seem so mild mannered they would not be out of place in a cozy.
When I read a thriller or police procedural, I want to be kept guessing. When the killer is unmasked, I don’t mind at all if I feel like a complete knob for missing the cleverly concealed clues. Unfortunately, the bad guy in this story is a “person of interest” from the moment they step on the page & I missed that element of suspense.
Despite the nature of the crimes, it’s a very clean read (no sex, swearing, etc.) So it’s merely a case of personal taste. As the old saying goes, not every hat you try on fits but those who prefer a softer murder mystery with a neatly tied ending should find much to enjoy here.
As they pick away at the investigation, we meet the anonymous killer in alternate chapters & slowly learn his motive & history.
This is one of those books where personal preference will loom large in terms of how much you enjoy it. I’d place it firmly on my “ok” shelf & I’ll try to explain why. The author clearly has some serious skills & the story flows well. But in this crowded & competitive genre, there has to be something that makes a book stand out, something that reaches out & grabs you so you become invested in the story & its characters & I just couldn’t find it here.
First up is Robyn, a hard working cop who has little else in her life. It’s difficult to describe why but she just didn’t come across as a fully fleshed out character. The way she is depicted lacked the depth that would have helped me connect with her. Perhaps I found her a little too earnest or maybe it’s that we’re repeatedly told about her background instead of letting the reader get to know her through her thoughts & actions. She & her colleagues have all the requisite personal problems but their responses seem so mild mannered they would not be out of place in a cozy.
When I read a thriller or police procedural, I want to be kept guessing. When the killer is unmasked, I don’t mind at all if I feel like a complete knob for missing the cleverly concealed clues. Unfortunately, the bad guy in this story is a “person of interest” from the moment they step on the page & I missed that element of suspense.
Despite the nature of the crimes, it’s a very clean read (no sex, swearing, etc.) So it’s merely a case of personal taste. As the old saying goes, not every hat you try on fits but those who prefer a softer murder mystery with a neatly tied ending should find much to enjoy here.